The survey puts Marine Le Pen four percentage points ahead of her main rival, former economics minister and founder of the left-wing party "En Marche!" - Emmanuel Macron

France’s National Front leader, Marine Le Pen

PARIS, March 20. /TASS/. France’s National Front leader, Marine Le Pen, remains the favorite among the French presidential hopefuls, suggests a survey by the OpinionWay pollster.

The survey puts Marine Le Pen four percentage points ahead of her main rival, former economics minister and founder of the left-wing party "En Marche!" - Emmanuel Macron.

If the first round were to be held today, Marine Le Pen would win with 27% of the electoral vote (minus one percent as compared with a week ago), the poll suggests. Macron would take home 23% of the ballots, while former Prime Minister Francois Fillon would end up with 18%.

As compared with data from March 17, their popularity has declined by two percentage points. Socialist nominee Benoit Hamon could count on 13% of the vote, while the leader of Unsubmissive France movement Jean-Luc Melenchon would see only 12%

The pollster suggests that Marine Le Pen will lose to Macron in the second round, the gap between them growing by two percentage points from March 17, making up 20% at the moment. According to OpinionWay, Macron would get 60% of the electoral vote in the second round, while Le Pen would garner 40%.

In case Fillon qualifies for the second round, 55% of the eligible voters will be ready to cast their ballots for him, while Marine Le Pen will secure 45% of the vote.

France’s presidential race will be held in two rounds scheduled for April 23 and May 7.